Riding into the Sunset
by kaut
Summary: Grissom gets a phone call from Sara asking him to meet her. Sorry, bad summary. GSR
1. The phone call

Disclaimer: I do not own anything at all. Please don't sue.

Spoilers for Goodbye and Goodluck

Into the Sunset

Chapter 1

The bed creaked as Sara adjusted her position on it. Sighing, she flipped open her cell phone yet again. After four times of opening and closing it and three trips off the bed, pacing her hotel room, Sara took a deep breath and entered the familiar number. The cell phone was shaking in her hand as she held it to her ear. When the call went straight to voicemail, Sara let out a sigh of relief. _"Hello, this is Grissom. Leave a message." _She almost hung up, but knew she had to leave a message. He would see her number and know she called and he would worry if there was no message accompanying it.

"Hey Gil, it's me…Sara…but I guess you knew that…sorry…I umm…I wanted to see you…I'm sorry…I don't know if you want to see me. If you don't, I understand. Besides, you are probably busy with the lab and can't get away…Sorry, maybe this was a mistake, but if you want to see me, give me a call…please…if not, I understand…I love you…bye."

Sara closed her phone and pulled her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked herself, squeezing her eyes shut and burying herself in her doubts. Trembling, she wondered if it was a mistake calling him, if he even wanted to see her, and how she would deal with it if he didn't. Tears sprung from her eyes. _I walked away. I left the best thing that ever happened to me. What if I can't get it back?_ Sara curled herself up on the bed, pulling a pillow to her chest. She wept as she clung to the pillow.

The room was dark and the blinds were drawn when Grissom woke from his slumber. As he stretched out, his foot made contact with the arm of the sofa. Remembering where he was, he swung his legs over the side and pushed himself into a sitting position. His hand came up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His arm lingered as he looked at the time on his watch. Shift was about to start and he had only three hours of sleep.

The case Grissom had worked on previously weighed heavy on his mind: domestic abuse, ending in murder. It was the kind of case that would eat away at Sara, had she been there. In her absence, it tore Grissom apart. He had worked tirelessly in an effort to put away the abusive husband and father after the man savagely murdered his wife. The eyes of the now motherless children haunted Grissom. Innocence was replaced by fear, sadness, desperation. The murder left two young boys and an even younger girl huddled together, about to be separated by social services. It was the image of the young girl that lingered in Grissom's head. Her sandy blond locks fell in front of her wide eyes, her head down, hiding her eyes even further. She was clinging to her brothers' hands and when she looked up at the investigator, her eyes piercing his soul, Grissom's heart broke. He wondered what Sara's eyes had betrayed when she watched her mother murder her father.

When the evidence was mounted against the father, Grissom wanted to be in the interview room. Normally, he loved to revel in revealing how he solved the puzzle, but in this case, he just needed to make sense of it all, as though it were a key to Sara's past. That night, though, he missed the interview. Brass and Catherine had blocked him from the interrogation room. He was tired and worn and Catherine ushered him to his office before he could muster up an argument. Reluctantly, he admitted he needed some sleep and grudgingly followed the pair's advice. Brass promised him an update after he and Catherine finished the interview.

Reaching for his phone, Grissom checked his voicemail. Three messages. He played the messages. The first was from Ecklie, demanding the backlog of paperwork perched on Grissom's desk. He quickly deleted the message. The second was from Brass, informing him that the DA filed formal charges against the husband in the domestic abuse/murder case. Since all the evidence was logged, the case for now, was closed. Grissom sighed. Now that shift had started again, a new caseload would begin. He listened to the last message. _Sara. She needs to see me. I need to see her._ He wondered about both the message and the timing of it. Part of him was afraid that she needed to see him to give him bad news, ending their relationship for good, saying goodbye, needing closure. The larger part of him wondered if she was reaching out, if she could feel the pain his recent case caused him, if she felt the same pain and if she was perhaps ready to come home, needing him in the way he needed her. Despite his rational, scientific mind, he always felt a strong, almost paranormal, connection with Sara. He had no doubt, that if soul mates existed, then she was his. When he needed her the most, she called to tell him that she needed him.

Standing up, Grissom walked to the door and flicked on the light switch. He walked over to his desk and sat down, looking over the schedule. He had two consecutive days off coming up and the two days flanking his days off were completely covered. He had just closed his case. He could get away right away.

Grissom hesitated as he was about to call Sara back. The fears of the possibility of her ending it lingered in his mind. He shook those off, comforted by the fact that she had ended the call with "I love you." He was about to hit send when he heard a soft knock on his door. It opened slowly and Catherine peeked in. "Gil, assignments." Grissom nodded and followed her out the door. As they walked down the hall, Catherine took in Grissom's disheveled look. "Gil, you need some rest. You're tired."

Grissom never responded, but followed her silently into the break room, still thinking about the message from Sara. He handed out assignments to everyone but himself, not wanting to get caught up in a case and ruin his chances of seeing Sara. When the team collectively raised their eyebrows at his lack of a case, he shrugged. "Ecklie's been getting after me about paperwork." As they dispersed, the team of CSI's shook their head at Grissom's appearance. Once they had left, he made his way back to his office to call Sara.

Grissom sat behind his desk to make the call. It rang only once before Sara answered. "Hey, Gil."

Grissom smiled at the sound of her voice. "Hi."

"Look…" they both started in unison. Grissom chuckled as Sara spoke. "Go ahead."

"No Sara, you start."

Grissom leaned back against his chair and held his breath as he waited for Sara to start. "Okay." Grissom heard a pause over the phone. He closed his eyes as she continued. "I…I think I need to see you."

Grissom forced himself to release the breath he was holding. The next obstacle to speaking was the lump that had formed in his throat upon hearing her tone. He swallowed the lump and spoke softly. "Okay. Where are you? Are you still in San Francisco? I could come there."

"No!" Grissom cringed at Sara's outburst. "I mean yes, I'm still in San Francisco, but I don't want you to come here. I…I kind of wanted to meet some place neutral. Maybe somewhere in between?"

Grissom took a deep breath and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, where?"

"I don't know. Tahoe?"

"Tahoe? Sierra Nevadas? Sounds great. Where on the lake?"

"I don't know, you choose."

Grissom opened up his laptop and typed in Lake Tahoe. "Okay."

He heard Sara clear her throat. Her voice was so soft he almost never heard it. "When?"

"I can leave right after shift."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I've already checked the schedule."

"So…I'll see you tomorrow?"

Grissom sighed and smiled softly. "Yeah, tomorrow. I'll make all the arrangements and call you with them. Are you going to drive or fly?"

"Drive probably. Gil…thanks."

"It's not a problem."

"Not just for making the arrangements. Just…thanks."

"Sara?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Yeah…bye."

"I'll call you right back." Grissom hung up the phone and looked over the various locations and accommodations on the screen in front of him. He decided on renting a vacation home on the more remote south end of the lake. Luckily it wasn't heavy tourist season and he was able to find a nice cabin available for the time he had off. As it was away from the ski hill and in between communities, he was able to get four nights for a great deal. He phoned Sara back and relayed the information.

Grissom worked on paperwork until shift finished. He handed in what he had finished, grabbed his jacket from his office and made his way to the exit. Passing the break room, he ran into Catherine, clutching a cup of coffee.

Catherine looked at Grissom quizzically as he walked by and moved to the exit. She called out to him. "You're leaving on time?"

Grissom turned back and looked at her. "Yeah." The one word answer peeked her curiosity.

"Oh? Did you get some sleep earlier?"

"A few hours."

"Good. It's good to see you leaving on time too. Get some rest."

"Catherine?" He stopped her.

"Yes?"

"I think you're right. I need some time off, clear my head. You have shift tomorrow."

Catherine spit out the coffee she had been drinking. She rushed into the break room to get a rag to clean up her mess. As she wiped up the coffee she looked up at Grissom. "Tomorrow? You're taking time off beginning tomorrow? With that short notice, you better be going after Sara."

Grissom narrowed his eyes in warning. "Catherine, we talked about this."

Catherine groaned. "Yeah, yeah. I know. You won't go, she doesn't want that, you want her to be happy. Just…I don't know…just do something to make you happy again."


	2. The Cabin

Chapter 2

Grissom flew into South Lake Tahoe, California before taking a cab to Stateline Nevada and finally a shuttle bus to Zephyr Cove. The cabin he booked was located half way between Zephyr Cove and Round Hill Village. After checking in and paying, Grissom was driven the rest of the way to the cabin. After dropping him off, the owner turned around and left Grissom to explore.

The cabin was a single level, two bedroom, two bath little log beauty. A stone walkway led up to the front veranda where two wicker chairs sat. The entrance to the cabin led to a medium sized kitchen with modern appliances and a small island in the center. Beside the kitchen, through a small doorway, was the dining room. It was located in the corner of the house, and the two outside walls housed large windows. While dining, guests could enjoy looking out at the mountains in the distance. Adjacent to the kitchen and dining room was the living room. Large windows lit the room and offered a spectacular view of the lake. The room had hard wood floors and the floor plan was split in half. The far end, against the wall, sat a wood burning fire place. In front of the fire place was a large burgundy and navy rug. A love seat, flanked by two chairs faced the fire place. The other half of the living room housed two sofas facing a large television. The television was mounted to the wall and was accompanied by a DVD player. Sliding doors led out to the back patio.

The rest of the house was located down the hall. Beside the kitchen was the main bathroom, complete with a shower. Next to it was the smaller bedroom. Across from those, and next to the living room, was the main bedroom. It held a large king sized bed. Adjoining the room was the master bath. Inside the master bath was a large, deep, two person Jacuzzi. Sliding doors also led from the master bedroom to the back deck. The back deck was lit by gas lamps that surrounded the perimeter. On the far side of the deck was a hot tub, while the near side held a BBQ. Just beyond the deck was the lake.

Grissom entered the cabin and sat down on one of the chairs in the living room. He had no idea what time Sara would arrive at, so he tried to occupy himself by reading. He had barely begun when he heard a car pull up. He opened the front door and stepped out onto the veranda. Sara was taking her bags out of the trunk. Holding her bags, she turned and spotted him.

Sara's heart stopped beating as she saw Grissom standing only 10 feet away from her. He was gazing at her intensely. Sara gazed back. Neither could move, so they both stood frozen to their spots, stating at each other. Sara noticed Grissom swallow. He took a tentative step towards her. She ran up and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. Slowly, Grissom lifted his arms up and wrapped them around her, pulling her tighter into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry," Sara mumbled against his shoulder. Her tears soaked through his shirt.

"It's okay," he whispered softly, raising one hand to stroke the back of her head.

Sara grew tired of holding her arms around Grissom's neck. After twenty minutes of holding each other, she reluctantly broke the embrace. She stepped back and let her eyes wander over Grissom's for. Her voice was soft. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He raised his hand and his thumb gently wiped the tears from her cheek. Sara gave him a faint smile. He dipped his head and brushed a delicate kiss on her lips. "Can we take this inside?" Sara nodded. He took her hand and led her into the cabin.

"My bags."

Grissom turned to look at her. "What?"

"I left my bags out by the car."

"Oh, right. I'll get them." He exited the cabin, leaving Sara inside to explore. When he returned, Sara was frowning.

"What is it?"

"This place Gil, it's too much. We could have stayed in a hotel."

Gil dropped Sara's bags in the entrance. He took her hand and squeezed it. "I thought this might be a little more private." He paused under Sara's scrutiny. He gulped, continuing, "Um, it has two bedrooms, so I don't know what you are comfortable with…"

Sara pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest. "You don't want to sleep with me."

Grissom's eyes widened. He hadn't expected that reaction. He placed his hands on her upper arms. "No, Sara. The choice is yours. I didn't know, I don't know what you want. I…I'm not sure why you called me here…" He stroked her arms and pulled her form into an embrace. Releasing her, he tilted her head and looked into her eyes. "Part of me is afraid you're about to say goodbye for good."

Sara uncrossed her arms and enfolded them around his back. "What? Griss, no." Her arms came down and gripped the sides of his shirt. His arms moved back around her. "I was afraid you would want to end it with me."

"Sara…"

"Wait. Let me explain why I called. I guess I wanted to see you to see if you'd be willing to work through this with me." Sara leaned forward and rested her head on his chest. "It's your call."

Grissom tilted her head up, noticing her red rimmed eyes. He smiled warmly. "That's what I want too." His arm came back around her body. He held her tightly. "So we'll spend some time working through everything?" Sara nodded in his arms.

Grissom took Sara's hand and pulled her over to the sofa. Sitting down, he wrapped her in his arms and softly stroked her hair. The looked out over the lake at the snow peaked mountains. The sun was beginning to fall behind them. Grissom looked up at the clock. "Are you hungry? Do you want to go out for dinner, or do you want me to cook for you here?"

Sara looked up at him. "Do we have anything to cook?"

Grissom frowned. He shook his head before kissing her part. "No."

"Then out I guess." Sara pushed herself up and out of Grissom's arms. "Do you want to walk to Round Hill Village for dinner? It's a nice night out." She stood up and held her hand out to Grissom.

Grissom took Sara's hand and allowed her to help him up. He smiled and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "That would be great. I'll get our coats." He walked to the closet and pulled out their parkas, hats and gloves. They bundled themselves up. Grissom offered Sara his elbow. She linked her arm through his and he led her out the door.

The walk to the village was quiet. Grissom and Sara alternated looks between each other and the sunset above them. Sara leaned against Grissom's side as they walked and neared the village. The village was lit up as they entered. They walked down the street, arms still linked, until they came upon a quaint little Italian restaurant. Grissom led Sara inside by the elbow and waited to be seated.

They were seated at a quiet corner table and given menus. Peeking above the menu, they stole nervous glances with each other. After ordering, Grissom reached across the table and covered Sara's hand with his. His thumb began stroking the back of her hand. She looked across the table and stared into his eyes. "Sara, thank you for calling me and asking me here."

Sara nodded and brought her free hand up to grip Grissom's forearm. "Thank you for coming."

They grew silent as their food arrived. Grissom stared down at his plate, taking slow bites of his lasagna. Sara twirled her pasta primavera around with her fork before each bite. Midway through the meal, Sara pushed her plate to the center of the table. Grissom noticed the move and looked up at her. When he saw tears begin to form in his eyes, he leapt from his chair and kneeled down in front of her. Slowly, he tilted her head to his and took her hands in his. "Sara, what's wrong?"

She sniffled and turned her head away. "It shouldn't be this hard."

"But it is." She nodded.

Grissom reached up and brushed Sara's hair from her face. "We'll work through this. We're just on edge right now."

Sara turned her head back towards Grissom. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. "I know."

Grissom stood and pulled his wallet from his pocket. He threw cash down on the table, forgetting about finishing his meal. He grasped Sara's hand and pulled her up. "Come on. Let's go."

The sun had fully descended and stars began to appear as they walked out of the restaurant. Still grasping Sara's hand, Grissom looked up at the sky. He pulled Sara into a hug. He released her and they walked hand in hand back to the cabin. The breeze off the lake picked up and Sara shivered. Grissom dropped her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He pulled her body into his and walked the remainder of the way holding her.

Grissom started a fire as soon as they entered the cabin. After the wood began burning, he pulled Sara from her chair and led her to the love seat. He sat down and pulled her onto him. His arms held her tightly. As she leaned into his chest, he placed a light kiss on her temple. Sara shifted her body to look up at him. "Can we talk?"

Grissom nodded as he took his finger and pulled a lock of her hair in behind her ear.

"I don't know if I can come back to Vegas." His chest tightened. He looked down at her and gulped. His hands stopped moving as he waited for her to continue.

"I'm trying, I am." Sara sighed. "I want to. I…I just don't know if I can." She turned her head away and looked down at her curled up body, the body that was curled in his embrace. "I guess I won't know until I go back there. It's just that the desert…"

"Sara, stop!"

She looked back up at him. "I'm sorry."

Grissom shook his head. His hold on her tightened. "Sara, how are you doing, honestly?"

Sara took her hand and reached up to brush his cheek. "I'm doing okay…better. I've worked through a lot of things in the past four months."

"And?"

"And I still have more to work through. I can't go back to Vegas…yet…it might take awhile. If you can't wait, then…"

"I'll wait." He looked down at her and placed a kiss on her temple. "I can wait. I will wait."

Sara snuggled deeper into his chest. He shifted down and pulled her shoulder under him so her back lay to him. "Sara, why didn't you tell me you were leaving? All you left was a note."

"Part of me knew that if I told you, and you asked me to stay, I would."

"I would have let you go."

"I know, I do, but if you asked, just once, I would have stayed. I was also afraid that I'd lose my nerve and stay, or worse, you wouldn't ask me to stay, but bid me fare thee well instead. At any rate, I don't think I would have been able to leave and I needed to. I needed to exorcise those ghosts."

"I thought we were fighting them together. I don't understand why you felt you had to do this by yourself."

Sara turned herself so that she was facing him. "You don't understand? You Grissom? You left to exorcise some of your own ghosts you know."

"When I went to teach at Williams?"

"Yeah Griss. I know you wanted to teach again, but I also know it wasn't only about teaching. I know you had to get away. I get it."

"I know."

"Some things we need to do alone." Sara's voice grew very quiet as she made the statement.

Grissom leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. "When I was in Concord, I realized I couldn't do it alone. I needed you."

Sara brought her hand up and rested it lightly on Grissom's cheek. "Gil, I need you too, but you have the lab to think about and I really didn't want you seeing me break down. I felt like I was drowning and I needed to save myself." She took a deep breath. "When you left, you needed to deal with the horrible things you saw. When I left, I needed to deal with the horrible things I experienced."

"Sara, I…"

"It's okay."

"If you need help, you'll let me know?"

Sara nodded. She pulled herself into sitting position on the edge of the loveseat. Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I need you. I called you because I need you." She ran her hand through his hair. "I know you aren't ready to leave the lab and I'm not ready to return to Vegas, but one day our timing will work out. Until then, if you're willing, we'll make long distance work."

Running his hand up and down her arm, Grissom nodded. He sat up next to her and she leaned against his chest. A soft yawn escaped her mouth. "Tired?"

Sara closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah."

"Have you gotten used to sleeping nights?"

"Yep. I think I'll head to bed. I know you'll be up for a few more hours yet, so…goodnight." She stood up.

Grissom followed Sara up off the sofa. "I'll come with you. I've been working odd hours lately and behind on sleep, so I could easily join you now." He took Sara's hand and led her to the bedroom. After donning their pajamas and brushing their teeth, Grissom laid down and pulled Sara's back to him. He held her in his arms, spooning her and placing tender kisses on the back of her neck. "Goodnight Sara."

"Goodnight." Sara closed her eyes and drifted into sleep. Grissom continued to gaze at her, running his finger along her arm. She snuggled further into his chest. Closing his eyes, he pulled Sara tight to him and let sleep find him.


	3. The eclipse

Chapter 3

The image before Grissom that morning stole his breath. Sara was still curled in his arms. Her hair had fallen onto her face. The strap from her tank top had fallen to her arm, exposing her shoulder. He could see her chest rise and fall as she inhaled and exhaled slowly, delicately. She looked at peace, something he hadn't in her sleep for some time. He dipped his head down and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her shoulder blade. His hand whisked the hair from her face before finding its way under her top and to the flat of her stomach. He stroked her stomach with his thumb, enjoying the feeling of her bare skin. His hand stopped its caressing to pull her closer. When she stirred, he propped himself up on his elbow and watched her roll onto her back towards him. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled contentedly. "Mmm, morning."

Grissom leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Good morning Sara." Sara's eyes flickered open and shut. She looked up at him. His right hand moved and brushed the hair around her face. His voice was a soft whisper. "You're beautiful."

Sara continued to gaze up at him. She licked her lips. Quickly, his head swept down and his mouth was on hers, catching her in a searing kiss. Sara's arms came up around his neck. Her hands combed through the hair on the back of his head as she deepened the kiss. When they broke apart, Grissom pulled her to him and skimmed his fingers up and down her arm. He stared deeply into her eyes. His gaze intense, causing her to swallow air as she returned the stare. "Do you think we could stay here all day?"

Grissom smiled wistfully. "I wish we could stay here forever, but I think we might get hungry and we don't have any food. We should get some groceries."

Sighing, Sara turned towards Grissom. She cuddled into his chest. "I guess you're right. Um, how much groceries do we need…I mean…I didn't ask, but how long are you…we…staying here for?"

"I booked for four nights. It's all I could get away for right now."

"Oh, uh, great." Grissom looked over at Sara. She sounded unsure of her self.

"Something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. I'm actually a little relived. I half expected you to say only one more night."

Grissom chuckled and gave Sara a quick peck on the lips. "This place requires you book three nights minimum.

Sara's smile spread wide across her face. She pushed herself up into sitting position. "So, food?"

Grissom pushed himself up so he was sitting next to her on the bed. He grasped her hand. "Yeah. I thought we'd drive to the village, have breakfast in one of the cafés there, get some groceries and come back here."

He moved off the bed and began dressing. Sara followed after him. "That sounds wonderful."

Sara handed Grissom her keys as they moved to the car. The drive to the village was quiet. They parked at the grocery store and walked, holding hands, to find a café. They had only walked a couple blocks when they saw a small café with fresh, enticing aromas coming from within. Sara led Grissom inside. They ordered coffee and croissants and sat down at a small bistro table to enjoy their food. While sipping her coffee, Sara gazed at the village through the window. "This place is beautiful Griss. The snow is so refreshing."

Grissom beamed across the table. "Maybe, after we drop off groceries, we can do a little exploring."

"I'd like that." Sara finished sipping her coffee and took one last bite of her croissant. She stood, extending her hand to Grissom. He grinned as he grasped her hand and allowed her to pull him up. When she turned to walk out the door, he stopped her. Tugging on her arm, he pulled her back to him. He cupped her chin, leaned forward and placed a long chaste kiss on her lips. Sara closed her eyes, reveling in the moment. When she opened them, Grissom was leading her to the door.

In the grocery store, they grabbed a basket and began loading the bare essentials for groceries. Grabbing coffee, tea, milk, various fruits, bagels, cream cheese, salmon, potatoes, some spices, cheese, crackers, mushrooms, and zucchini. They also picked up a couple bottles of wine before driving back to the cabin.

After unloading the groceries, Sara plopped down one of the sofas in the living room. Grissom followed and kneeled in front of her. "Tired."

She turned to face him. "A little. Grocery shopping sure takes it out of you."

"We can do the exploring later if you want to stay here and rest." He stroked her cheek. She leaned into his touch.

"Okay. Let's rest here for an hour, then go." She pulled his hand from his face and held it in both her hands. She sat up. "I want to try that Jacuzzi."

"Alright." Grissom stood up and pulled Sara with him. She dropped his hand and moved to the hall. She looked back over her shoulder and spoke seductively. "You know Gilbert, that Jacuzzi is built for two." She turned back and headed down the hall before she could see Grissom raise his eyebrows and follow her.

Sara had shed her coat and was about to open the bathroom door when Grissom reached her in the master bedroom. She stopped when she felt two hands on her waist pull her back. Holding her with one arm around the stomach, Grissom brushed aside her hair and began feathering the back of her neck with kisses. Sara lifted her arms over her head as Grissom pulled her shirt off. Still holding her around the stomach, he reached around her with his free hand and opened the bathroom door. When she turned to face him, he pulled her in for a deep kiss. Releasing her, he walked into the bathroom, moved to the tub and filled the bath. They shed the remainder of their cloths and stepped into the hot bath.

Sara leaned her back against Grissom's chest as they let the jets of the Jacuzzi wash over them. He held her in his arms enjoying the feel of her soft, wet skin against him. He shut his eyes. In that moment, he wondered if he could ever be away from her again. "Sara, there is an eclipse tonight. How about we watch it from the hot tub?"

Sara turned her head and kissed his cheek. "Sounds perfect." She turned her head back around and snuggled deeper into Grissom. She closed her eyes and took pleasure in the sensation of Grissom's arms holding her naked form and the massaging jets around her.

Wrinkled, Grissom stepped out of the bath and wrapped a towel around his waist. He held open another towel for Sara. When she stepped into it, he enveloped her in a hug. They dressed and set about exploring.

Grissom and Sara strolled about the village, taking pleasure in window shopping. They came across a video store and decided to rent a couple of movies for later. Continuing down the picturesque streets, they came upon a charming little bookstore. After browsing for almost an hour, they picked out some literature and headed back to the cabin.

When they arrived back, Grissom lit the BBQ and began to make garlic roasted potatoes. He threw the salmon onto the BBQ and cooked to the zucchini. When dinner was almost finished cooking, he set the table in the dinning room, uncorked one of the bottles of wine, and served Sara dinner. They ate peacefully, enjoying the chance to share a meal privately again.

When the meal was finished, they shed their cloths, donned their bathing suits and made their way to the hot tub. Grissom pulled Sara to his lap as they looked out over the water and took in the spectacular snow capped mountains. The moon was full and shining brightly over the water. They mountains formed a light fortress around the lake.

As the eclipse began, Sara slipped off Grissom and squeezed in behind him. She wrapped her long legs around his waist. Slowly, he rubbed his hands along her legs. Her arms made their way around his neck. She leaned over his shoulder to watch the eclipse begin. His hands continued to stroke the length of her legs. He leaned back against her and watched the breath-taking scene in the sky above them.

When the moon was completely covered by the earth's shadow and giving off the brilliant red hue, Sara's excitement overwhelmed her. Her arms moved from his neck, to under his arm pits and onto his chest. She stroked his pectoral muscles and pulled him harder against her body, wrapping her legs tighter. Grissom fought the urge to turn and take Sara right there, knowing it wasn't the time. As the eclipse passed and slivers of the moon could be seen again, growing fuller before their eyes, Sara relaxed and her arms moved back to Grissom's shoulders, gently massaging them as he relaxed into her.

After sitting in the hot tub for two and a half hours to watch the eclipse, they dried off and put on their pajamas. Sara moved to one of the sofas as Grissom placed Sara's choice of movie into the DVD player. He held her as they watched _Roxanne_. When that movie finished, Sara slipped off the sofa and put in Grissom's choice of movie. She slithered back up his body and into his arms. They only made it half way through _The Thin Man_, when Sara fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, Grissom pulled her tighter into his arms, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep on the sofa.

They both woke only a couple hours later, sore and slightly uncomfortable. Grissom scooped Sara up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Gently, he placed her on the bed and helped her under the covers. They talked quietly about the lab, how Sara was doing, and what she was doing. Grissom pulled her tight towards him as she described her struggles. He kissed the tears from her cheeks and held her as they succumb to sleep.


	4. The ski hill

Chapter 4

Grissom woke to empty arms. Sara was in the kitchen putting out breakfast. Grissom moved to the entrance of the kitchen and watched. After stealing away a few moments of just observing her, he stepped slowly into the kitchen. "Hey."

Sara turned and looked at him, smiling. "Good morning." She carried a couple of plates and set them on the table. After ridding herself of the plates, she walked over and gave Grissom a quick kiss.

Grissom grabbed Sara's waist and held her in front of him. "What do you want to do today?"

Sara brought her hand to the back of Grissom's neck and combed through his messy morning curls. "Hang out here with you, then maybe check out one of the ski hills." Grissom dropped his hands from her waist and moved towards the table.

"Sara, have you ever skied before?"

Sara moved to sit at the table beside him. "A couple of times in college. I spent more time in the snow though." She began to spread cream cheese on her bagel. "What about you?"

"No," Grissom stated, peeling his banana.

"Never?"

"Never."

"Well, that's okay. I wasn't thinking about skiing. I thought we could check out the lodge, sit by a fire, drink hot chocolate, or maybe chai lattes, eat lunch." She took a bite of her bagel.

"As long as there is no skiing."

Sara smiled. "No skiing, just the atmosphere around it."

"I'd love that." Grissom nibbled on his bagel.

They finished breakfast and moved into the living room with their tea. Grissom sat on one of the chairs facing the fireplace, while Sara perched herself on the floor in front of him, leaning against his chair. They read silently for about an hour before moving together to one of the sofas. Grissom laid down on the sofa and tugged on Sara so that she lay facing him. They laid, staring at each other, running their fingers over each other's features, stealing soft, intimate kisses, not speaking, but communicating solely through touch. As lunch time arrived, they stood up and bundled themselves in their parkas, hats and mitts. They drove to Zephyr Cove, then up to the ski hill.

The lodge sat perched on the side of the mountain. It's rustic, log finish complemented the atmosphere around it. Outside, on the patio, picnic tables were adorned with heat lamps to warm skiers on cold days. Inside, wooden tables and benches filled the large, open room, giving off the appearance of a cafeteria. In the middle of the room sat a pit with an open fire. More wooden benches formed a circle around it. In one corner was a place to order food. Upstairs was the bar. It had its own grill. The traditional wooden benches and tables remained, there were also bars and bar stools and booths. There was a small clearing that Grissom guessed was for bands to set up and play at. The room was well lit by the sunlight streaming in through the massive windows.

Grissom and Sara ordered their food from the bar and sat down on a bench by the window. As they sipped away at their chai lattes, they looked out at the mountain and took in the scene. Grissom thought about how he would describe it. _The lifts, slow, pausing with each pick-up, chairs gently rocking as they ascend. The lines moving mechanically. Skiers moving onto the lift, skiers entering the line. Down the hill, snow boarders carving effortlessly, skiers moving gracefully. Young children, skiing without poles, fearless, helmeted heads pointed directly down the slopes. Beginner skiers, legs spread, toes and skis pointed in, poles out, slowly descending, taking wide turns, falling at the attempt to cut around. The better snow boarders, grabbing their boards as they fly over jumps. The better skiers jumping spread eagle into the air before landing crossing their skis at their height, and finally landing. When reaching the bottom, all moving again to the end of the line, to wait, shuffle and once again seat themselves on the chair that will lift them skywards._

Lost in his thoughts, Grissom was interrupted by the arrival of his food. As he took his first bite of his sandwich, he looked around the lodge. Teams of people were laughing, smiling, enjoying beers and fries on that beautiful day. Friends met and shook hands through gloved paws. Twenty-something boys drummed along to the music as Tom Petty played over the speakers. Grissom smiled and looked over at Sara. He grasped her thigh as she took a bite of her tofu rice bowl. He relished the change of atmosphere, where, at that moment, there was no grief, no hatred, no crime, only the joy and beauty of friends and family retreating to the comfort of the mountains.

Sara smiled and placed her hand on top of his. She clutched it in her own as she took another bite. Her eyes widened as he pushed his fries away and moved his leg and straddled her so that she rested in between his legs. Letting go of her hand, he shuffled towards her and placed his now free hand around her waist. His other hand moved to grasp the hand he let go of. Sara turned her face to his. He grinned as he dipped his head down to her rice bowl. The scent of curry rose up to his nose. Sara dipped her fork back down, picking up the curry, rice, tofu and beans. She lifted it to his mouth where he captured the fork. Slowly, she pulled the fork from his lips. He swallowed and quickly sprung forth to seize Sara in a kiss. As they broke apart, they looked out the window. _Skiers skillfully navigating the slope, rhythmic in their turns, until they move to the back of the line, wait and shuffle mechanically, following the mountain's rhythmic, steady pulse._

After finishing lunch, Sara wanted to explore outside. They looked up at the majestic mountain. The peak, away from the slopes, held smooth snow undisturbed, untouched. Brown/grey rocks cut through the snow creating a contrast, dark and light. Further down, the snow still smooth glistened in the sun, disturbed only by the tracks of animals, signs that the place, with its lodges and lifts, was still in the heart of the wilderness.

Glancing past the lodge, Sara saw a sign that read "Snowshoe Loop." Excitement welled up. "Hey Gil, they have a trail for snowshoeing. We should see if we can rent snowshoes and talk a hike along the trail."

Grissom looked at Sara and noticed her excitement. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, come on."

"Okay." Sara took his hand and led him to the rental shop. They picked out a couple pairs of snowshoes and fastened them on. They made their way to the path and strolled side by side.

The path they trod upon was flattened by the previous trips of previous snowshoers. They strolled side by side through the long and narrow path. The trail cut through snow covered pines and firs, white on green, dipped down, then up again across a clearing. The sun glistened off the undisturbed powder. Through the clearing, they saw a trail left by deer. Grissom reached for Sara's hand, but soon discovered that walking in snowshoes while holding hands is not an easy feat. Instead, they moved slowly, side by side, creating their own rhythm, their own pulse.

Looking at all of the powder around her, Sara was tempted to pick up a snowball and throw it at Grissom. Wearily, she looked at the smooth, untouched, undisturbed snow and decided she did not want to be the one to disturb it. She let the thought pass. Noticing her pensive look, Grissom glanced over at her. He raised his eyebrows as she shook her head and laughed softly. He considered saying something, but her soft laugh and easy movements stirred something inside his heart. Not wanting to ruin the beauty of the moment, he smiled and unconsciously repeated the same soft laugh and shake of the head.

Just past the clearing, they came upon a log bench, cut in half to form a flat surface for sitting. The other half of the log formed the back rest. Sara continued to walk by the bench as Grissom sat down. He called out to her. "Sara."

Sara turned and looked back at Grissom. "Time for a rest?" She cocked her head to the side and grinned.

"Yeah."

Sara turned and walked back to the bench. She took a seat next to him and faced him. Her gloved hand fell to his thigh, palm up. He took her hand in his as she leaned against the back rest. Grissom turned to face her. His free hand found the back of her neck. He pulled her head towards his and closed the gap, kissing her softly. The continued to give each other short, deep kisses. Grissom released her hand and brought his arm around her shoulder. She sighed and leaned into him, closing her eyes. He tightened his hold. "Sara, I'd like to take you to dinner tonight."

Sara chuckled. "So you want to eat out?"

"No, I mean, I'd like to take you out on a date. We've never been on a real date before."

"Oh, okay."

Grissom frowned, not receiving the reaction he'd hoped for. It occurred to him that she might not have known how to answer him when he never really asked. He swallowed and tried again. "Sara, would you accompany me to dinner tonight?"

Sara smiled. She turned and placed a quick kiss on his lips. "I'd love to."

Grissom returned her smile and stood up, pulling her up with him. They continued to make their way down the trail.

Looping around, cutting through the trees, they came upon some disturbed snow. It looked like an animal had burrowed itself there. Grissom continued to walk past, but the thought of pelting Grissom with a snowball lingered in Sara's mind. She smirked and bent down. Scooping up a handful of snow, she packed it together and formed the perfect snowball. She lifted her arm to throw. As she released, Grissom turned, noticing her presence was no longer beside him. The snowball hit him squarely in the face. Sara's eyes widened. She gasped, then laughed, trying to apologize. Grissom brushed the snow from his face and moved to run back toward her. Tripping on his snowshoes, he landed right at her feet in the patch of disturbed snow. She tried to stifle a laugh as she extended her hand down to help him up. He grasped her hand, but instead of getting up, he pulled her down to the snow with him. Slowly, he took his hand and swept the wet hair from her face, pushing it away under her hat. Rolling on top of her, he pinned her and began kissing her passionately. She grabbed at the sides of his parka as he propped himself above her. As she tugged at his waist, he lowered himself and deepened their kisses. Breathless, he broke the kiss and realized that while they were alone on the trail, they were still, very much, in a public place. Reluctantly, he stood and pulled her up. They stared at each other with great intensity before quickening their pace back to the lodge and finally, their cabin.

They ran up the stone walkway as they exited the car. Quickly shedding their jackets, mitts and hats, Grissom pulled Sara in for a kiss in the doorway. His foot came up to shut the door. Sara's hands pulled Grissom's sweatshirt from him as he backed down the hall toward the bedroom. She followed, pulling his t-shirt over his head and throwing it on the floor. Inside the bedroom, Grissom followed Sara's lead and stripped her of her shirt. He leaned down to kiss her neck, removing her bra at the same time. Her hands fumbled with the button and zipper of his jeans, but one she released them, she moved her hands to her own jeans and pulled them off, following with her panties. Grissom finished removing his pants and socks before lifting Sara into his arms and laying her gently on the bed. Slowly, he crawled up beside her, removing his boxers in the process.

Sara laid on her back, waiting for him. She bit her lip as he hovered over her. Dipping his head to hers, he kissed her deeply, passion and longing seeping out of him in full force. Carefully, he moved over her, propping himself on his elbows and entering her. After satisfying his hunger, he rolled off and held her in his arms, running his finger over her smooth body. She shivered and tucked her body further into his. His hand attempted to comb through her hair, but found itself caught in the knots that formed from lying in the snow. Her skin was suddenly cold under him. Slowly, against her pleadings, he moved off the bed and into the bathroom. He began drawing her a hot bath to warm her cold body. When the water finished running, he returned to the bedroom. Sara was curled up and huddling under the covers. Her eyes were full of tears. Grissom's heart stopped as he realized that he had left the bed, almost immediately after making love to her for the first time in months. Worse, he had left against her pleadings. She had needed him to stay and hold her. Slowly he kneeled down by her side. His hand smoothed the hair, sticking to the side of her face, away. He kissed all of the places where the tears rested. "I'm sorry."

Slowly, Sara lifted her face to look at him. He stood up and pulled the covers from her. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he lifted her and carried her into the bathroom. "I was drawing us a bath." Slowly, he stepped into the tub and lowered their bodies into the water. He pulled her to his lap and tightened his arms around her. Her fears calmed, she looked up at him and smiled.

"I should have known you wouldn't leave me. It's just that after not seeing you for so long and not making love for so long, I thought maybe you were disappointed, or…"

Grissom cut Sara off with a kiss. "Sara I shouldn't have left you, or at least told you where I was going. You could never disappoint me."

Sara snuggled deeper into Grissom's chest and turned on the jets. He reached for her shampoo and squeezed a drop into his palm. Slowly, he began working the shampoo through her locks, massaging her scalp. Sara moaned as his fingers deftly worked their magic. Carefully, he slid her from his lap and eased her forward. He grasped her shoulders and lowered her head into the water. Holding her with one arm, he rinsed the shampoo with his free hand. Gently he lifted her from the water and pulled her back into his arms. Sara leaned against him shoulder and handed him the conditioner. As he lathered her hair, he placed short, tender kisses on the back of her neck and shoulders. Sara slid under the water to rinse and flipped herself over. She pulled herself up and sat on her knees, between Grissom's legs. She brought her face up to his and gave him a kiss. He stroked her wet head. "I'm sorry for leaving you in our bed. I never thought about how it would look. I just wanted to surprise you with a nice warm bath."

Sara silenced him with another kiss. "I overreacted. I'm sorry."

Grissom smiled and turned Sara back in his arms. He held her tight and closed his eyes. "I'd never leave you."

Sara knew his words were meant to be comforting, but they reminded her that she had left him. A single tear formed in her eye. She brushed it away and quietly whispered, "I'm sorry." Grissom never heard her.

Grissom took his cloths to the other bedroom so that they could get ready separately for their date. He buttoned up his shirt, put on some slacks and waited. In the other room, Sara rummaged through her bag, but couldn't find anything she wanted to wear on a date. She sighed, settling on grey slacks, deep blue long sleeve shirt and a grey sweater with a large V neck. She fastened a necklace, fixed her hair, letting it fall down curly, and applied a little make-up. Grissom was waiting for her at the entrance. He smiled warmly when he saw her. He picked up her keys and led her to the car.

They drove to Stateline for dinner. There was a nice restaurant in one of the casinos. The restaurant also came with a dinner show. Sara perused the menu and settled on seafood, while Grissom chose a steak. They were just about finished their meal when a young woman came on stage and began to sing slow, melodious jazz tunes. Grissom shuffled his chair around the table so that he was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Sara. He grasped her hand beneath the table as they watched the young woman cry out her haunting lyrics. When the show finished, they drove back to their cabin.

Grissom lit the fire in the living room and uncorked a bottle of wine. He set out cheese and crackers on the rug and returned to the kitchen to make stuffed mushroom caps. As they finished baking, he returned to the living room where Sara sat cross-legged, sipping her wine. He laid down beside her and propped himself on one elbow. He picked up a mushroom cap and brought it to her lips. When they were full of wine and snacks, Grissom reached behind him and pulled out a notebook. He began reading her poems from Cummings, Wordsworth, Pablo Neruda, and so on.

Sara moved so she lay against him. "Where did you get that notebook from?"

"Over the last four months, every time I thought of a poem that reminded me of you, I wrote it in this notebook."

Sara turned to face him. She took the notebook from his hand and skimmed through it. "It's full."

"I thought of you a lot."

Sara leaned forward and kissed him lightly. He smiled. His hand rested on her hip. When she smiled back at him, his hand moved under her shirt to the small of her back. He gave her a gentle pull and she wiggled in tighter against him. He leaned forward and began giving her slow, deep kisses. He rolled her onto her back, his hand on her waist again, and leaned down. He kissed her passionately. Suddenly he felt a push against his shoulder. Confused, he lifted his head. "Griss, stop." Fear filled his eyes as he scanned hers, worried that she didn't want him, that he was pushing, or that maybe she was afraid he'd leave again when it was over. She eased his fears. "Bedroom. Not on the rug."

Sara stood and took his hand. She pulled him up and led him to the bedroom. As she pulled him into the bedroom, she climbed onto the bed, kneeling in front of him. Her hands reached up and grasped his collar. She pulled him onto the bed with her, and pushed him onto his back. Slowly, straddling him, she unbuttoned his shirt, kissing her way down his chest with every new piece of skin she exposed. Shirt unbuttoned, she slid it over his shoulders. He moved to grasp the bottom of her sweater, but she shook her head. Her hands found his belt buckle. She undid the buckle and slowly pulled the belt through the belt loops. She shifted back until she stood on the floor, undid his pants and pulled them from his frame. Climbing back on top of him, she removed her sweater and shirt. Grissom's hands moved to her waist and slowly up along her sides up to her breasts. As she stared down at him, his hands moved around her back and unclasped her bra. It fell to the bed as she leaned down to kiss him. Her hands skimmed down his chest. She rolled off him. Carefully, Grissom rolled on his side and pushed Sara onto her back. He undid her pants. His hands moved down her legs, slowly, sensually, taking her pants with them, before sliding back up her legs to her panties. He repeated the same movement, removing her underwear. As his hands glided back up her legs, she moaned. He grinned and crawled back up onto the bed beside Sara, tenderly kissing his way up her form. He paused at her chest, licking the space between her breasts while his hands gently kneaded them. Sara's hand pulled the hair behind his head. She thrust her chest up, leaning into his kisses. Her desire caught up with her. Quickly, stealthily, she flipped him on his back and pulled off his boxers. Her hands moved up his legs, gripping them as they slid up. He stifled a moan. She slid up his chest, leaned down and caught Grissom's ear in her teeth, licking the lobe. She brought her face to his, grinning down at him. As he moved his head up to kiss her, she rolled onto her back, and waited for him to take her.

Grissom's thumb caressed her cheek as he slowly entered her. He stared down at her with each thrust, willing her to see the love and promise in his eyes. After climaxing, he fell to her body and rested his head in the crook of her neck. She gently stroked his back until he rolled to his side and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly and kissed her temple. "Sara, will you marry me?"

Sara pushed him onto his back. She rolled so that her arms were resting on his chest. She looked into his eyes. "I believe I already said yes."

Grissom took his hand and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I never really asked before, more like suggested. I wanted to ask. I also didn't know if you changed your mind when you left."

"Gil, this isn't insecurity talking is it? You will never lose me."

He shook his head and stroked her hair. "It isn't insecurity. I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I will marry you." Sara leaned against her arms and looked up at him. "I know we are going to be separated again soon, but please believe me. I'm not changing my mind. I still need to work through everything, then I'll come back and marry you."

Grissom closed his eyes. "Sara, I'm ready."

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm ready to leave the lab. I'm ready to follow you."

Sara pushed herself up to sitting position. She turned her back to Grissom. "You can't leave the lab. It's your life. I can't ask you to do that for me. It's too much and I really don't believe you're ready."

"I am." He stared up at her back and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sara, you followed me to Vegas. You stayed for over seven years for me. It's my turn to follow you."

Sara shook her head. Grissom squeezed her upper arm. "When we first became intimate, I used you as a distraction from the lab. I thought of this as an affair, and it was wonderful. Then it became more, we became more. These past four months, work became the distraction. I used it to try to stop thinking about you. I can be distracted by work anywhere. I want to be where you are. It's time for a fresh start. Let's ride off into the sunset together."

Sara turned and studied him. She laid back down and rested her head on his chest. He stroked her hair. "Sara, please, marry me. Marry me tomorrow."

"What?" Sara shot her head up. "Tomorrow?"

"We can get a marriage license tomorrow and have a private ceremony, right here, on the back patio, overlooking the lake. What do you think?"

"Okay."

"So tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow. We'll have to hit town early to make all the arrangements."

Grissom pulled her close and kissed her part. "So we'll use the morning to work everything out, and we'll get married here in the evening." He smiled and tilted her chin up, kissing her. "I can't wait."

Sara snuggled into his arms. As he spooned her, he traced lines on her arm. Leaning his mouth to her ear, he whispered, "I love you." He kissed her upper arm.

As he held her tightly and drifted into sleep, he heard her soft reply. "I love you too."


	5. The wedding

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews. You are all too kind. Just a couple chapters left. I hope I don't disappoint.

Chapter 5

Excitement hampered Grissom's sleep. He woke early and immediately went into the kitchen to put out breakfast. After setting the table, he sat and waited for Sara to wake up. He tried reading, but couldn't concentrate. He peeked in the bedroom twice to check and see if she was awake, watching her still form from the doorway. He was weary of waking her, especially since she had been sleeping so well on the trip. He hadn't yet witnessed any of the nightmares that had plagued her sleep in Las Vegas after her kidnapping. Instead, her sleep had been restful. She looked peaceful and content and it was something he did not want to disturb. He hoped that he was the cause of the smile she wore in her sleep.

Sara emerged about an hour after Grissom first woke up. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping a coffee when he saw her in the entrance way. He smiled as he looked over her body. She stretched her arms above her head, exposing part of her stomach where her tank top rode up. She walked over to him and kissed him. He poured her a cup of coffee and led her over to the table. "Good sleep?"

Sara picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Yeah. I haven't slept well in months. I sleep much better with you. I guess I'm finally catching up."

"That's good, because we have a long day."

Sara smiled across the table. "Yes we do."

After a quick breakfast, Sara and Grissom drove into Stateline. Together, they secured a marriage license, and drove to a jewelry store to pick out wedding bands. They ended up picking out matching plain, half round 14 karat white gold bands. They took the other's ring and separately asked to get them engraved, choosing a sentiment for each other. Grissom paid for the rings and they left them to the engravers.

Leaving Sara with the car, Grissom went off in search of someone to officiate the wedding. Finding a certified marriage officiate proved challenging, as most ordained officiants wanted the ceremonies to take place at their chapels, while the ones willing to travel liked to have some prior notice. Grissom was able to prevail when he approached a Justice of the Peace and appealed to his sense of romance. The Justice of the Peace agreed to travel out to the cabin with the little notice and perform the ceremony. Grissom made arrangements to drive out to the cabin with the Justice of the Peace, and his wife, who would act as a witness, later that afternoon. Officiant secured, Grissom went to a men's clothing store and bought himself some tan slacks and a short sleeved, white button down shirt. He wanted to look casual, but nice for his wedding, sure that Sara had the same idea. He went back to the jewelry store and picked up Sara's ring. Next, he found a caterer who could deliver them a small meal so that they wouldn't have to worry about food. As he made his way back to the Justice of the Peace, he made one final stop at the flower shop, buying Sara a large bouquet of red and white roses. He signed the card, _With Love, From Grissom._

Sara roamed the streets of Stateline, looking for a wedding dress. She stopped at three bridal shops, but found the dresses too extravagant and pricey for her tastes. Finally, she found dresses more her style at the fourth shop she entered. Sara only had to try on a couple dresses before finding a beautiful white dress that required almost no alterations. It was simple yet elegant, fitting tight to her upper body and flowing down at the waist. Small spaghetti straps ran over her shoulders accentuating her delicate features. She knew she'd be cold during the ceremony, but she decided dressing nice for Grissom would be worth it. As she waited for the alterations, Sara picked out a simple lace veil. When her alterations were finished, Sara dropped her dress off in her car, picked up Grissom's ring and went to a salon to have her hair done. The stylist pulled her hair up and put it into a large bun. She let the ends of the locks fall loose on top, allowing the curls to fall out over the bun.

It was getting late by the time Sara arrived back at the cabin. Grissom had called her, telling her he found someone to marry them and to be ready for seven o'clock. She checked her watch; she had forty-five minutes. As she entered the house, she saw two people sitting in her living room, by the fire. She walked closer and guessed the ages of the couple to be in their late sixties. "Hello."

"Hello, you must be Sara." The man smiled warmly and extended his hand to hers. "I'm here to marry you. I'm Judge Douglas Simpson, and this is my wife, Abigail." Sara smiled and shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you." She shook the woman's hand. "Do you know where Gil is?"

"He went to Zephyr Cove. He said he'd be back shortly."

"Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I have to get ready."

"Of course. If you don't mind we'll sit here and finish our tea."

Sara smiled. "Please do." She turned to the hall and made her way to her room.

Entering the room, Sara saw the huge bouquet of flowers. She smiled as she read the card. Next to the bouquet was an envelope with her name on it. She picked up the envelope and carried it over to the bed. Sitting on the edge, she opened the envelope and pulled out a note.

_Sara,_

_I hope the roses were a pleasant surprise. Knowing you, you already recognize the symbolism and I don't need to explain it. As you surely have noticed, I'm not at the cabin right now. I went into Zephyr Cove to allow you the house to get ready. The next time you see me, I will be waiting for you out on the patio._

_I wish I could write a thousand words to express how I feel. Since I am unable to, I leave you with a man much more adept than I:_

_i carry your heart with me (i carry it in  
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere  
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done  
by only me is your doing, my darling)  
i fear  
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want  
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)  
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant  
and whatever a sun will always sing is you _

here is the deepest secret nobody knows  
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud  
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows  
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)  
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart) 

_- e.e. cummings_

Sara held the note in her hand and took a moment to admire the myriad of roses. Standing, she tucked the note back into the envelope and placed it beside the flowers. She pulled out her dress and put in on, asking the judge's wife to help her fasten it up. She applied a little bit of make-up, fastened a string of pearls around her neck and fixed her veil to her head. Ready, she waited for the clock to read seven.

When the time finally arrived, Sara stood and peeked out the curtains to the back patio. Grissom and the judge were standing in front of the back steps, waiting. The judge's wife was sitting on a chair, off to the side. She was holding Grissom's camera and snapping photos. The gas lamps surrounding the patio were all lit up, illuminating the deck. The full moon lit the area further, reflecting off the shining lake in the distance.

Carefully, Sara pulled out a single white rose. She held it to her chest and walked out into the living room. She opened the screen door and felt a breeze pick up. She shivered. The cool night air chilled her and she hoped the ceremony would be a short one. When she looked up and saw Grissom's gaze fixed upon her, she no longer felt cold.

Grissom gasped as Sara stepped out onto the deck. His heart stopped beating when he saw how stunning she looked. When she flashed him a wide smile and walked up beside him, he stopped breathing. The minister asked them to join hands. Grissom, not hearing the judge, didn't move, still staring at Sara. Sara dropped her rose and took Grissom's hands in hers. She returned the gaze and soon found herself just as lost in him as he was in her. Neither noticed the flashing of the camera.

The judge began the ceremony, relating the sanctity of marriage to the couple. Neither heard him. When he began the vows, the do you's and the will you's, he had to often had to repeat himself after clearing his throat to gain their attention. He finally had their attention as he spoke the last part.

"Do you, Gilbert Daniel Grissom, take Sara Bethany Sidle to be your wife?"

"I do."

"And do you Sara Bethany Sidle, take Gilbert Daniel Grissom to be your husband?"

"I do."

They carefully slipped the rings on each other's finger. Grissom's hand lingered on Sara's as he placed the ring on hers. Before the minister could continue, Grissom leaned over and whispered in his ear. The judge nodded. Grissom cleared his throat and locked eyes with Sara.

"Sara, I didn't ask for us to recite our own vows because I was unsure I'd ever be able to find the words for my own. I also never wanted to you to feel pressured. I know how you feel about me, I don't need to hear it. You seem to find words easier than me. I've never really told you how I feel, but today, I did want to express myself to you and I spent all afternoon trying to come up with the words so that I could. Here it goes." Grissom took a deep breath and pulled a card from his pocket. He glanced down at it briefly before relocking his eyes with Sara's.

"Sara, when we first met, I was struck by your curiosity and your intelligence. Getting to know you, I was impressed by your drive. When you moved to Vegas, I was amazed by your passion. Watching you move beyond your past, I was proud of your strength. Comforting you, I was moved by your vulnerability, that's a good thing. Holding you each night, I fell in love with the totality of you, your curiosity, intelligence, passion, strength, vulnerability, and your unconditional acceptance of me. I love you, everything that you are."

Grissom watched as tears fell from Sara's eyes. She squeezed his hands and turned to the judge. "I'd like to say something as well." She waited for the judge to nod before continuing. "Gil, I love you. You have supported me through so much. You gave me the love I was never given, the home I never had, the life I thought didn't exist. You are patient and understanding and forgiving. You are my soul mate. I will love you forever."

The judge waited patiently after Sara finished to see if they were going to add anything else. They turned and looked at him, waiting for his pronouncement. He smiled as he pronounced them man and wife. Grissom pulled Sara in and gave her a tender kiss. Sara blushed as the judge's wife caught the kiss with Grissom's camera. The judge's wife snapped a few more photos, and they all signed the marriage certificate. After signing, the judge and his wife left the newlyweds. As they pulled out, the catering truck pulled in.

Grissom lit the fire and set out the food on the rug. He led Sara to the living room and sat on his side behind her. They quietly sipped the champagne and nibbled on the vegetarian appetizers brought by the caterer. When Sara put her plate down and pushed it away, Grissom stood up and pulled Sara up with him. He put some music on and led Sara back out onto the patio.

Grissom pulled Sara's body to his and swayed her in his arms as Neil Young's _Harvest Moon_ came over the speakers. He held her close, dancing under the moonlight, spinning her away, drawing her closer, whispering in her ear. When he pulled her tight to his body, she rested her head on his shoulder. As the song finished, she lifted her head and he drew her in for a deep kiss. The breeze picked up off the lake, sending a shiver down Sara's spine. Grissom noticed Sara shivering and he tried lead her back inside. They were about to open the patio door when Sara shook her head. She tugged on his hand and led him out to the center of the patio. She leaned into his chest and snuggled closely. Wrapping his arms around her, he warmed her as they continued to dance.

Grissom held Sara tight, his arms securely around her, not willing to let go, as they danced song after song. As the night grew darker and more time passed, their dancing slowed. Grissom could feel Sara's steps grow heavier and breathing grow deeper. Placing a soft kiss on her lips, he lifted her into his arms and carried her inside to their bedroom.


	6. The sunset

A/N: Again thank you to the reviewers for being so kind. Here it is, my final chapter. I hope you like it.

Chapter 6

Sara's lithe form was draped over Grissom when he woke. His arm was wrapped around her back, holding her to him. He looked down at his wedding ring and pulled it off to read the inscription. _To my one and only. _Replacing the wedding band, he allowed his eyes wandered over his wife. Her hair was falling messily out of her bun. Her hand was resting on his chest, moving in slow circles. He smiled at the sight of her wedding band sitting on her delicate finger. He took his hand and traced a line up her naked back, admiring the beauty before him. As he skimmed his fingers across her back, the movement of the white gold band sent a shiver up Sara's spine. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up at her husband. He had his eyes closed as he continued to reverently glide his hand up and down her back. Sara lifted her hand from his chest and examined her ring finger. Slowly, she removed it from her finger and inspected it. She smiled as she read the engraving. _One Love_. She placed the ring back on her finger and brought her hand back down to Grissom's chest. She stroked the chest and pulled herself further up onto him. Smiling, he opened his eyes, lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her ring finger. "Good morning."

Sara pushed herself up so that her head rested at the same level as her husband's. She leaned into him and captured his mouth in a deep kiss. His arm came around her shoulder and he pulled her tight to his body. She brought her hand back around his chest and hugged him. "How much time do we have?"

Grissom looked over at the clock. "Not much. My plane leaves in four and a half hours."

"So about two and a half hours?"

"Yeah." He looked at her wistfully.

"And we have to pack in that time?"

"Yeah."

"So we have an hour and a half to lay here?"

Grissom smiled and kissed her. He turned on so he was facing her. His hand came up and stroked her face before it moved around her back and pulled her to him. He closed his eyes as she buried her face in his neck. He held her for that hour and a half, gently stroking her back, breathing in her scent, before reluctantly releasing her. "Sara, it's time."

She looked at him longingly. Disappointment washed over her face as she sighed. "We have to get moving."

"It'll only be for a couple weeks. We both have things we need to finish up." He placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

Sara closed her eyes and brought her head to Grissom's shoulder. Quietly, she whispered, "Yeah."

Grissom held Sara for another fifteen minutes, not wanting to let do. Finally, he realized it was getting late and he had to get up. He kissed the top of her head and rolled away from her. "Sara, we have to get up. I have to go."

"I know." Sara rolled onto her back and climbed out of bed. She exited the room while he began packing.

After he had finished packing, Grissom moved to the kitchen. Sara had made coffee and set out breakfast. He sat down and pulled Sara's plate next to his. When she returned to the dining room, he caught her hand and pulled her to his lap. He held her with one arm, while eating the other. After they had eaten, Sara headed into the bedroom to pack. Grissom cleaned up and packed away the remainder of the food. They met in the entrance way as they both finished at the same time. Grabbing their bags, they loaded Sara's car up with the cloths, food and finally, Sara's flowers.

Neither spoke a word as they drove to the airport. Sara focussed on the road, willing herself not to cry. Grissom started to say something, but quickly closed his mouth. There were no words he could say. Instead, he stole glances at Sara. He reached across the seat and squeezed her shoulder. After parking, she walked with him to security. Before he turned to go, Sara attacked his mouth, leaving him with a passionate kiss. "I'll see you soon." Grissom smiled and made his way through security.

Grissom removed his wedding ring before heading into the lab an hour before shift. He stopped by his locker and pulled out some cloths for work. Opening his bag, he found a note. He sat on the bench as he read it.

_Gil,_

_My darling husband, I miss you already and we haven't even separated yet. By the time you read this note, my heart will be aching for you. Know that these next two weeks will be as painful for me as they are for you. I know you'll be comforted by the fact you can look at our wedding pictures as they were taken with your camera. Email them to me as soon as you can, please. _

_I love you,_

_Sara _

Grissom smiled as he read the note. He folded it up and placed it in his pocket. Standing, he closed his locker and made his way to his office.

When Grissom reached his office, he closed the door and sat behind his desk. Ignoring the paperwork and mail piled up, he opened up an envelope he had been carrying with him. Reaching inside the envelope, he pulled out a silver frame and held it in his hands. He gazed down at the picture. It was the picture the judge's wife took of his and Sara's first kiss as a married couple. After stepping off the place, he had immediately gone to Walmart, printed the picture, and bought a frame for it. He placed the picture on his desk, opened his lap top and composed an email.

_Sara,_

_I would email you pictures, but I made a cd of wedding pictures for you on the plane. I mailed it express as soon as I got to Las Vegas. You should get it by tomorrow._

_I miss you._

He closed his lap top and continued to stare at his framed picture. His thumb gently ran over Sara. He sat, holding the frame for over an hour before heading to the break room to start shift.

When Grissom entered the break room to hand out assignments, nobody asked him about his days off. Catherine has told them that Grissom made it clear he wasn't about to chase after Sara and the team was weary of prying. They hoped, whatever he did, helped to clear his head. They were relieved when he entered the break room looking well rested. He offered them no information, but resumed his business as usual work mode. A week after his return, Grissom was startled by Catherine bursting into his office. "Cath, what…?"

"What's the meaning of this?"

Grissom took the piece of paper Catherine was waving in front of his face. He read it and smiled. "It looks like a promotion. You'll be a supervisor again. Congratulations Catherine."

"It's for grave. Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving."

"I'm taking over in six days. Six days Grissom! So you come back from your days off, and hand in your notice, just like that?" She sat down in the seat across from his and narrowed her eyes.

"Yes."

"And you are just going to leave. Were you even going to tell any of us or were you just going to leave like Sara did and just drop us a note." Tears began to spill from Catherine's eyes.

Grissom looked across the desk then dropped his head. "I was going to tell you in a few days. I didn't want any awkward goodbyes. Please don't mention the way Sara left. You don't understand."

"Why? Why are you leaving. If you are going after Sara, that's one thing, but I think we both know you aren't. Now you can't be here either?"

"It's time Catherine. I need to move on." He looked back up at her. His mouth turned up into a half smile.

Catherine wiped the tears from her eyes. "You can't just run away Gil."

"I'm not. This is what I want."

Catherine regarded him carefully. She leaned across the desk and grasped his hand. "I'll miss you."

Grissom squeezed Catherine's hand. "You've been a great friend Cath. I'll miss you too."

"Are you going to tell the team?"

"Eventually."

Catherine nodded. "I still think you should go after Sara." She pulled her hand back from his and accidentally knocked over the picture frame. She picked it up and examined it. "What's this?"

Grissom tried to hold back his grin. "A picture."

Catherine gave him a pointed look. "I see that. It's a picture of you and Sara kissing. She's wearing a white dress and a veil and if I'm not mistaken, that's a ring on your finger. When?"

"Nine days ago."

"So you did go after her?" Catherine smirked at him and placed the picture back on his desk. She folded her arms over her chest.

Grissom picked up the picture and studied it. "She called and said she wanted to meet. We met in Tahoe. We got married our last night there."

Catherine smiled as Grissom continued to gaze down at the picture. "And now you are leaving to be with her?"

He looked up at Catherine. "Yes."

Catherine reached across the desk and squeezed his forearm. "Gil, I am so happy for you." She stood up and walked around the desk, pulling Grissom up for a hug.

Grissom hugged his friend then stepped back from the embrace, looking Catherine in the eye. "Cath, please don't tell anyone yet. I want to announce it with Sara."

"So, she's coming here?"

"Yeah, in five days. She's going to help me finish packing the townhouse, then we are leaving together."

"Okay, I won't say anything, provided you let me do one thing."

Grissom looked at her and narrowed her eyes. "Catherine."

"Relax Grissom, I just want to give you guys a small reception. Just the team, Brass, just dinner, maybe out at The Grill by Colville Marina? Dinner on the Lake; you could have calamari?"

A warm smile made it's way across Grissom's face. "We'd like that."

Sara entered the lab and stopped by the reception desk. Judy's eyes bulged. "Miss Sidle?" Sara chuckled.

"Hey Judy. Any chance you'd let me in without announcing me? I want to surprise everyone."

Judy smiled. "Go right ahead."

Sara made her way through the halls, ducking her head to avoid being seen. Unfortunately, all the lab techs seemed to have noticed her, peeking out of their labs as she walked by. Sara stopped by the break room and looked in. Catherine and Warrick were sitting on the sofa drinking coffee. Greg and Nick were dancing in front of the T.V. Sara cleared her throat and entered. "DDR, when did you guys get that in the break room?" Both Nick and Greg spun to look at her. Catherine smiled from the couch while Warrick gawked.

Nick walked over, lifted her and spun her. "Sara, it's great to see you." He put her down as Greg moved in to hug her.

"Sara, we've missed you. How are you doing? Are you doing all right?" Sara smiled at Greg and nodded. "So, you back?"

"No, just stopped by for a visit. You seen Grissom?" Greg narrowed his eyes.

Catherine stood up and walked over to Sara. "He'll be here shortly." As she hugged Sara, she whispered, "Congratulations," in her ear. Sara's eyes grew wide, then she smiled.

Warrick was the last one to make it over to Sara. He looked at her. "Sara…"

"I know, Rick." He hugged her tightly. She buried her face in his shoulder and squeezed back.

"You okay?"

Sara nodded. "You?"

Warrick smiled. "Yeah." He released her.

Sara turned back towards Nick and Greg. "So, you never answered my question, when did you get Dance Dance Revolution?"

Nick grinned. "Christmas. You wanna try?"

"I could show you some moves." Greg spun in front of Sara.

Nick, Catherine and Warrick all laughed. "Dream on Greggo." Nick looked over at Sara. "Greg is, well, Greg. Warrick's not bad, Cath still has the moves, but you're looking at the champ." Warrick scoffed. Nick shot him a look, then tugged at Sara's hand and grinned. "Let's see what you got."

Sara moved to the pad before returning his grin and raising her eyebrows. "You're on champ." She scrolled through the music and selected her song.

Grissom entered the break room to find Sara and Nick laughing away while trying to keep up with the steps on the DDR. The rest of the team were on the sofa, looking on and chuckling. Grissom stood in the doorway and continued to watch. When the song ended, Nick spun for a big finish. Sara followed the move and came face to face with her husband. They smiled at each other. Grissom cleared his throat. "Well, everyone is here I see." He continued to stare at Sara.

The team watched the couple stare back and forth. A grin broke out on both their faces. Grissom stepped inside and pulled Sara into his embrace. She rested in his arms for a minute, looked up at him, then moved over to the chair to sit down. She pulled her legs up and flipped open a magazine. Grissom turned to the team. "Okay, assignments."

The team continued to look between Sara and Grissom. Catherine narrowed her gaze on Grissom. "Wait a minute Grissom, you can't just start with assignments."

"We have work to do Catherine."

Catherine scoffed. "Are you going to tell us anything, or should I make my own announcement?"

Grissom leveled a look a Catherine. "Okay, a few announcements. Tonight is my last night in the field. Catherine will be taking over as supervisor. As soon as I finish up all of my cases, I am leaving the lab and taking off with my wife." Sara slipped her wedding band on her finger and held her hand up above the magazine. She peeked her head above her magazine and watched as the team looked around at each other, gauging the reaction on each of their faces. Shock was the dominant expression.

"Which brings us to another of Grissom's announcements," Catherine cut in, "tomorrow, before shift, we are going to be having a little wedding reception for these two out at The Grill, by Colville Marina. Just a small dinner. If you already have plans for tomorrow night, change them. Reservations are for five o'clock."

The team stared at Catherine as she made the announcement. Warrick chuckled as Nick gasped, "You knew. You led us on when you said he wouldn't go after her."

"Nicky, I didn't know. I only found out a few days ago. I went to his office to confront him about why I was getting promoted to Grave Supervisor, and I saw their wedding picture. Grissom wanted to announce it with Sara, so I kept it quiet." She crossed her finger over her heart. "I swear."

Warrick grinned. "There's pictures? These I've got to see."

The guys all looked at Grissom. He shrugged. "Okay, we'll talk about this later. Right now, work." He ushered them out of the break room, leaving Sara and him alone. "I've got to get to work. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. I'll head back to the house, do some more packing."

He smiled and pulled her up from the chair. "I'll walk you out."

In the hall, a group of lab rats had been watching the entire scene. When Grissom led Sara out of the break room by the small of her back, they tried to sneak back to their labs. Unfortunately for them, they were caught.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, hey Sara, good to see you."

Sara crossed her arms. "Yeah, you too Hodges. Now, what's going on?"

Wendy sighed. "We're really sorry. We were curious when we saw you walk down the hall. So you two got married?"

"Yeah." Grissom smiled.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you." Sara smiled warmly.

"Why Sara Sidle…" Bobby looked at the couple and grinned.

Sara returned the grin. "Actually, it's Grissom now." Bobby stepped forward and gave Sara a hug.

"So, Grissom, I just wanted to let you know, it's been a pleasure working with you. I've learned a lot. You were truly an inspiration."

"Why thank you Hodges." Grissom smirked.

Hodges was about to say more when Catherine interrupted. "He's leaving Hodges, you don't have to suck up to him any more." Sara, Wendy and Mandy all stifled a giggle. "Sorry, Archie, can I borrow you for a minute?"

"Yeah." He turned to Sara and Grissom. "We're really happy for you. Goodbye."

Sara smiled at Archie as he walked away with Catherine. "Bye."

Grissom led Sara through the crowd of lab techs and down the hall. "You changed your name?"

"Yeah."

"I never expected you to do that. I thought you'd find it a little patriarchal."

Sara smiled. When they reached the exit, she turned to him. "The way I see it, either name I use, I still took it from a man. I mean the concept of taking my father's name is patriarchal too. I figured if I could choose which name to take, I would want to take the name of man I'm in love with." She gave him a soft kiss and exited the building.

Grissom maneuvered himself through the boxes cluttering up his former office. He sat down on the sofa and took a deep breath. He was tired. Half the lab had been in to say goodbye that night. Even Doc Robbins made a special trip up from the morgue. Between the visits and the packing, Grissom needed a few moments rest. From his seat, he scanned the room, saddened to be leaving a lab that was like a home and a team that was like family. Catherine was right all those years ago when she had said that everyone was building a family around him. He realized that it went both ways. They were a family to him too. He picked up his and Sara's wedding picture. He thought about the life waiting for him and excitement replaced sorrow. He would be with Sara. He smiled and put down the photo.

A sigh escaped his lips as he sat back into the sofa. He closed his eyes as he thought back to the previous night. _Catherine had put on a fantastic reception at the marina. The team had the balcony to themselves and were served a seafood buffet. Grissom and Sara were joined by Catherine and Lindsay, Brass, Warrick, Nick and Greg. Sara spent the night laughing as the boys showered all of their attention on her. He had been embarrassed by all the stories Brass and Catherine were telling. Whenever the stories got really embarrassing, Sara would look over at him, snuggle closer and give him a wide smile. He would smile back and his arm would tighten around her. When the team asked where they were going and they replied that they were starting with Brazil, the shocked looks rivaled the ones from the day before. Many photos of their last night together were taken as Catherine had given Lindsay her camera and Lindsay went crazy with pictures. After finishing the dessert Catherine arranged (a nice little wedding cake), Catherine had surprised the couple by bringing out Archie, who set up a slide show. The show started with pictures of Grissom, Sara, and the team at crime scenes over the years. It ended with a caption that simply read "The Las Vegas Crime Lab wishes you a fond farewell." The slide show then morphed into wedding pictures that Catherine had gotten a hold of. After the slide show was finished, the music to "Harvest Moon" began to play. Catherine had coerced the name of the song for their first dance out of Sara. He had stood up and took Sara's hand in his and led her to an open spot on the balcony, reenacting their first dance, swaying her as the sun began to set. When the song had finished, the boys took turns cutting in and dancing with Sara and Catherine until they had to leave for shift. When everybody had left, wishing them goodbye and best wishes, he and Sara had strolled along the lake, hand in hand._

Grissom opened his eyes and stood up, examining his office. He packed away the remainder of his things and began carrying boxes to his car. He made his way back to the office to grab one final box. As he picked it up, he saw Sara's figure leaning against the door frame. "Hey."

Grissom put down the box. "Hey, where did you go?"

"I went down to the morgue to say goodbye to Doc and David." Grissom smiled. Sara scanned the empty office. "Gil, are you sure about this?"

He walked over to Sara, put his arm around her and looked at the office. "A fresh start Sara, remember?"

Sara sighed and looked at him. "A fresh start." Her arm came around his waist. She leaned against his shoulder. "Are you ready?"

Placing a kiss on the her part, Grissom looked at the office. He walked over to the box and picked it up. "Yeah, I'm ready."

The End


End file.
